Exec KEPCO sees nuclear setbacks after the crisis of the Japan - Reuters

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Par Cho Mee-young.

SéOUL | Vendredi 29 avril 2011 3 h 56 HAE

Séoul (Reuters) - crise nucléaire du Japon puisse entra?ner un recul de deux ou trois ans sur le marché de réacteur nucléaire, mais la demande augmentera à long terme, un cadre supérieur à la Corée Electric Power Corp a déclaré vendredi.

Pire-sur-record du Japon quake et tsunami le 11 mars paralysa la centrale nucléaire de Fukushima Daiichi, 240 km (150 milles) au nord de Tokyo. Les ingénieurs japonais ont du mal à finir la pire crise nucléaire du monde depuis l'accident de Tchernobyl 1986.

? Crise du Japon peut influer sur le marché dans les deux ou trois prochaines années, mais dans quelques décennies nucléaire demande augmentera en raison d'un manque d'énergie de remplacement, ? Byun Jun-yeon, executive vice president et agent de chef de projet nucléaire au étatiques utilitaire KEPCO, dit dans une interview à Reuters.

Il a dit d'énergies renouvelables continuerait à ne jouer qu'un r?le supplémentaire en raison de son économie pauvre.

Chine semble actuellement être détartrage retour ses plans de centrales nucléaires, mais ne peut pas arrêter, car il est difficile de répondre à leur demande d'énergie énorme sans réacteurs nucléaires, et production d'électricité charbon thermique émet aussi de carbone, "Byun ajouté.

La Chine le mois dernier a gelé approbations nucléaires pour les nouveaux et proposés des centrales nucléaires dans le sillage de la crise du Japon.

PRENANT LE BUT à DES APPELS D'OFFRES à VENIR

Byun, qui s'est spécialisée en ingénierie électrique à l'Université de Corée et KEPCO jointe en 1977, a déclaré que le Brésil, en égypte, en Arabie saoudite, en Argentine et en Afrique du Sud sont préparaient appels d'offres pour les réacteurs nucléaires qui pourraient venir à la fin de cette année.

Il a refusé de discuter des transactions spécifiques, mais ledit KEPCO avait pour but de remporter les appels d'offres et l'Arabie saoudite ont évalué les technologies de fonctionnement du KEPCO réacteur hautement comparés avec d'autres pays.

? Importateurs de réacteur veulent modèles qui garantie la sécurité, l'économie et l'efficacité énergétique... elles veulent aussi des constructeurs qui peuvent les aider à exécuter des réacteurs au moins 20 à 30 ans plus tard, ? a déclaré Byun.

? En Corée du Sud n'a aucune mention de l'accident dans son histoire de fonctionnement du réacteur de près de 40 ans ?, dit-il.

KEPCO a été visant à gagner les ordres outre-mer pour un total de 10 réacteurs nucléaires d'ici 2020. Les émirats arabes Unis en décembre 2009 attribué un contrat de 20 milliards de dollars pour construire quatre réacteurs de 1 400 MW, le plus grand deal énergétique au Moyen-Orient, à un consortium coréen a conduit la KEPCO. (Won coréen $1 = 1073.400)

(édition par Jonathan Hopfner et Michael Urquhart)

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At least 400 civilians killed in the revolt of the Syria: Group - Reuters

AMMAN. Tue April 26, 2011 1 pm EDT

AMMAN (Reuters) - the Syrian security forces shot dead at least 400 civilians in their campaign to crush the pro-democracy protests of long months, Sawasiah Syrian human rights organization said on Tuesday.

The group, founded by Mohannad al-Hassani imprisoned human rights lawyer, said that the United Nations Security Council should convene to start proceedings against the Syrian in the international criminal court officials and "reigns in security apparatus".

"This savage behavior, which aims to maintain the clique of decision power to the detriment of a growing number of life of civilians, calls for immediate international action beyond the convictions," Sawasiah said in a statement sent to Reuters.

"The murderers in the Syrian regime must be held accountable." The rivers of the blood by this oppressive regime over the past four decades are enough, said the statement.

Board of Directors of Sawasiah includes philosophy Syrian Professor Sadiq Jalal al-Azem, the book "Self-criticism after the defeat" helped to prepare the ground for a revival in Arab political thought after the victory of Israel in the 1967 war in the Middle East.

Separately, the Syrian human rights observatory, said security police arrested rights activist Qassem al-Ghazzawi Tuesday in his hometown of Deir al - Zor in the Syria is poor after protests intensified in the region last week.

The Observatory also said Mahmoud Issa, an activist and a former political prisoner arrested last week in the city of Homs, submitted to a military court Tuesday on charges of "owning a Thuraya satellite phone and edge computing."

(Reported by Khaled Yacoub Oweis;) (Editing by Louise Ireland)

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Tanks in the town of Syria, body in the street Adraa: witness - Reuters

Credit: Reuters is unable to verify independently of the content this video, which was obtained in a social media site. Tanks and soldiers are considered allegedly near Deraa, where mass protests took place Sunday in this still image taken of sequences social networking sites, downloaded on April 24, 2011 amateur video. Thousands of Syrians called for the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad Sunday at a funeral of demonstrators killed by security forces in the southern town of Nawa, 25 km (15 miles) North of the city of Deraasaid a witness. REUTERS/Social Media website via REUTERS TVBy Khaled Yacoub Oweis

AMMAN. Monday, April 25, 2011 4 pm EDT

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian troops in tanks and armoured vehicles poured into the city of the South of Deraa and opened fire Monday, residents, said the latest bloodshed in a crackdown on the protests which have a strongly intensified these last days.

As the army tried to regain control of Deraa, where a month an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad has erupted last month, said activists forces also stormed the suburbs of Damascus in the Duma, which has seen large anti-Assad demonstrations.

Rights groups that the security forces have killed more than 350 civilians since the beginning of the disorders. One-third of the victims were killed in the course of three days as the magnitude and the scope of a popular revolt against El-Assad grew.

Assad lifted State of 48 years of the Syria of emergency Thursday, but activists say that violence the following day, when 100 people were killed during demonstrations across the country, showed that it was not seriously to respond to calls for political freedom.

Raids Monday on Deraa and the Duma showed that El-Assad, who took power when his father died in 2000 after having decided to Syria with a strong hand for 30 years, was determined to crush the opposition with force.

Residents said hundreds of soldiers Adraa arrived.

A witness told Reuters that he could see the body lying in a main street near the Omari mosque after eight tanks and two armoured vehicles deployed in the old quarter of the city.

"People are taking cover in homes." "I could see two-body near the mosque and nobody could come out and drag them later", the witness said.

Snipers were posted on government buildings and lattice of the army security forces had fired randomly at houses as the tanks moved in just after dawn prayers.

"They fired." Witnesses said that houses have become hospitals and have been five deaths so far, "an another Adraa resident named said Mohsen Al Jazeera, which has shown what appeared to be a cloud of black smoke over the city."

Tanks at the points of main entrance of the city were also bombing target in Deraa, said Mohsen. "People cannot pass from one street to another because of the bombing."

Foreign journalists have mainly been expelled from the country, making it impossible to verify the situation on the ground. Macabre images displayed on the Internet by protesters the past few days appear to show the troops firing on unarmed crowds. Officials have criticized armed violence groups.

"THE OUTRAGEOUS VIOLENCE."

Despite the deepening of his father Hafez Al-Assad's alliance with the Iran, back influence to the Lebanon and the support of militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas, Al-Assad has kept the front line of the Syria with calm Israel and held the indirect peace talks with the Jewish State.

Western criticism of repression Assad, muted initially developed, has recently passed. President Barack Obama urged Assad Friday to stop the "scandalous use of violence" to repress the demonstrations

Main sects of the Syria writers all also released a statement denouncing the repression, a sign of anger surging through the intellectual elite.

Monday Declaration, signed by writers and journalists, Syria and exile, 102 intellectuals called a "which have not broken the barrier of fear to take a clear position."

"We condemn the practices violent, oppressive of the Syrian regime against protesters and mourn the martyrs of the insurgency."

Activists said the Government troops and armed men loyal to Assad shot dead at least 13 civilians since they swept into the Mediterranean town of Jabla Sunday, said the Syrian human rights observatory.

Forces and gunmen loyal to Assad deployment in the old Sunni neighbourhood of Jabla Sunday after a pro-democracy protest the previous night and a warning by the Governor of the province to residents not step to assemble publiclysaid rights activists.

The militants said they feared forces Assad also are preparing for an attack on the town of Nawa, North of Deraa, after reports of bulldozers and vehicles military topic there. Thousands of people called the overthrow of Assad Sunday at a funeral in Nawa to the demonstrators killed by security forces.

Electricity and communications have been cut in some parts of the city by night and residents, some armed, erected barricades in the streets to prepare to defend against an attack.

"Long live the Syria." "Down with Bashar!"lament chanted at the funeral. "Leave, leave!" "People want the overthrow of the regime".

Banias, South of Jabla, protest leaders said they would cut the coast road leading to less than the lifting of the siege of Jabla. Jabla is home to many members of Alawi minority Assad who were generally remained away from protests.

At least 100 people were killed across the Syria Friday, the restlessness, higher cost when shot demonstrators demanding political freedoms and put an end to corruption in their country, security forces ruled for 41 years by the Al-Assad dynasty.

Another 12 people were killed Saturday at funeral of massive for the demonstrators. And rights activists said secret police looted homes near Damascus and in the Centre of the city of Homs Sunday, arrest of militants.

(Other reports by Sami Aboudi in Cairo and Mahmoud Habboush Dubai;) Written by Dominic Evans. (Editing by Paul Taylor)

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Pope begins Easter as approaches of the beatification of John Paul - Reuters

Pope Benedict XVI arrives holding a candle that he leads Easter Vigil mass in the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican on April 23, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi

ROME. SAT, April 23, 2011 6: 24 pm EDT

ROME (Reuters) - Pope Benedict XVI led Catholics in the world of Easter Saturday, before the beatification of his revered predecessor John Paul II on May 1.

84 Years Pontiff presided over an Easter Eve service in St. Peter's Basilica, giving a sermon on the theme of creation divine and adult six receiver converts from various countries in the Church.

Saturday ceremony followed a cautious approach Friday to treat a wider public through a televised question and answer between the Pope and a selected group session, including a child in the Japan and a Muslim woman in C?te d'Ivoire.

The feast of Easter, marking the resurrection of Christ after his crucifixion will continue Sunday, when the Pope will deliver its twice a year "Urbi and Orbi" (to the city and in the world) address on the Saint-Pierre place.

The celebration was largely free of controversy given last year, when the allegations of sexual abuse of children by priests eclipsed the opportunity most sacred of the year of the Church, although the Pope referred to the scandal in his Friday speech.

Instead, preparations are underway for the influx of visitors in Rome expected next week for three days of events in which program the late Pope John Paul II will be declared "blessed," the last step before canonization.

The beatification has been seen as an opportunity for the Church to renew his message and his image of repair after the scandal which deeply damaged his standing and credibility.

At least 300,000 extra visitors are expected in Rome and preparations were visible in the streets of the Italian capital, where giant outdoor television screens will show the ceremony in the crowd is not close enough in person.

The beatification is expected to be one of the biggest events in Rome, as the late Pope died in 2005 and millions came to his funeral and to display her body as she was in a State.

(Written by James Mackenzie)

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Japan govt OKs quake relief budget, eyes more spending - Reuters

* The Japanese large public debt is obstacle to the reconstruction of spending

* Packages more spending to follow, new debt and tax hikes in the framework

* To consider the Japan not now facing a Greece-style debt crisis but concerns

* Lobby business calls for budgetary discipline, monetary easing (adds business Hall proposals)

By Tetsushi Kajimoto

(TOKYO, April 22, Reuters) - the Japanese Government approved a budget for emergency of 4 billion yen (50 billion dollars) for the Friday disaster relief without resorting to new loans, but it is preparing them for more heavy reconstructionmore later this year spending will require a new bond issue and, eventually, to increase taxes.

Enormous funds needed for reconstruction after the March 11 earthquake and the tsunami, which left nearly 28,000 dead or missing and triggered a nuclear crisis, but the Japan has already public debt already double the size of its economy of $ 5 trillionthe worst among industrialized.

"With this budget, we let one step towards reconstruction after the earthquake, the Tohoku and to restart the economy" Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda told journalists after a cabinet meeting.

"It is significant that we have compiled on a budget of 4 billion yen without issue of new bonds of the Government (of Japanese Government bonds). "It was quite difficult to reduce the amount of 4 billion yen, but we worked it."

Tokyo believes that material damage alone could top 300 billion dollars in more expensive natural disaster in the world, while analysts and some to the Interior of the Government led by the Democratic Party suggested that Japan might need to spend more than 10 billion yen.

The second supplementary budget should be compiled by the autumn at the latest, Katsuya Okada, Secretary General of the Democratic Party, said Thursday.

THESE INCREASES

The Government plans to increase taxes, including sales tax unpopular to fund reconstruction, but there is still a lack of consensus on the politically sensitive issue.

"If the Government can take this opportunity to change the social welfare and tax system, it could be a turning point rather than a point of no return," said Naomi Hasegawa, senior income securities strategist fixed to Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley securities.

"Investors want reassuring that the reconstruction of expenses will be supported by an increase in sales tax", she says, adding that a 3 percentage point hike would generate 7.5 billion yen in additional revenue each year.

JGBS acquired after the Government held its promise not to issue new bonds to finance the first emergency budget, helping to push the performance of 10 years to a minimum of four weeks.

The market players remained nonetheless cautious because the issuance of debt more in the future will need to pay for reconstruction, although the Japan does not now run a Greece-style debt since its public debt crisis is almost entirely held by domestic investors.

Emphasis on the concerns of investors, largest business lobby of Japan has urged the Government to ensure that the market is confident in its budgetary discipline, while the funds for reconstruction are wanted.

"Given the serious budgetary situation of the Japan, attention needs to be paid to the sovereign fluctuation risks and prices of government bonds," he said in a statement.

Nippon Keidanren called for the Central Bank to implement the monetary easing steps more such as stimulate its system for the purchase of goods, stressing that financial markets should remain stable as companies were that it is difficult to issue capital to business.

The cabinet plans to submit the emergency budget--which includes approximately 1.6 billion yen of spending for infrastructure - to the Parliament on 28 April. Noda, said that he hoped that it would be adopted as soon as possible.

The actual size of the supplementary budget is only 305.1 billion yen, with most of the 4.0153 billion yen to military expenditures to be financed by spending cuts in foreign aid and places paid to families with children and other existing programs.

The Government also draws reserves for pension payments - regarded as a sacred cow in a rapidly aging society where each retired will be supported by less than two workers by 2030, and the opposition objected to this approach.

Friday he planned to explain early next month, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan said how Tokyo should lead the economy and reconstruction after the disasters of last month. (Yen Japanese $1 = 82.465) (Other reports by Stanley White;) (Editing by Edmund Klamann and Edwina Gibbs)

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Japan allocates first 50 billion dollars to rebuild post-quake - Reuters

Members of the Force for the defence of the Japan remove debris that they seek victims in a House damaged in a region devastated by the earthquake on March 11 and the tsunami, in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, on April 21, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Toru HanaiBy Linda Sieg and Kazunori Takada

TOKYO. Friday, April 22, 2011 12: 48 a.m. EDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - the Japan cabinet approved Friday almost 50 billion dollars in spending for post-earthquake reconstruction, a down payment on the larger public works effort in the country in six decades.

The budget of 4 billion yen ($48.5 billion) emergency, which is likely to be followed by more reconstruction spending packages, is still dwarfed by the overall cost of the damage caused by the earthquake on March 11 and the tsunami$ 300 billion.

"With this budget, we let one step towards the reconstruction... and to restart the economy," Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda told journalists after a cabinet meeting.

The tsunami earthquake, magnitude 9.0 15 metres that followed caused the most serious crisis of the Japan since the second world war, killing up to 28,000 people and destroying tens of thousands of homes.

She also broke a nuclear power plant that began the radiation leak, a situation that said the operator of the plant may take throughout the year to curb.

Markets are keeping a close eye on how much the Government will borrow to finance the reconstruction. Although he kept his promise not to issue new bonds to fund this expenditure class, additional obligations should pay for the reconstruction of future budgets.

Although the Japan debt is twice the size of the economy of $ 5 trillion, it does not face a Greece-style debt crisis because most of these debts owed to domestic creditors rather than foreign banks.

The budget will be submitted to Parliament next week and should be adopted in May.

"CAUSED IN GREAT DIFFICULTY".

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who was accused by opposition politicians, his own party and triple quake survivors of failing to take command of the response of the country to disaster, said to be rebuild is an opportunity for national "Renaissance".

Approval of the Kan rates are extremely low. In a survey released Friday investors, 83% of the interviewees Reuters said they disapprove or strongly disapprove of the administration of crisis management.

The Japan recently exceeded by China, the second largest economy in the world, has been wrong with deflation for years.

But also try to rebuild the northeast of the ruin, Japan also has to cope with the worst nuclear crisis of the world since Chernobyl in 1986, the demolition of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, 240 km (150 miles) from Tokyo.

Radiation spilled the establishment after an explosion of hydrogen, and in their battle to cool the fuel cast iron rods, engineers has pumped radioactive water in the Pacific which concerned the neighbours of the Japan on the spread of contamination.

Masataka Shimizu, the President criticized many plant operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), met in local Governor of Fukushima Yuhei Sato Friday apologizing in person, for the first time that Sato has agreed to see the TEPCO head.

Shimizu, wear blue work clothes, bowed deeply to Sato.

"I apologise from the bottom of my heart for the great caused much trouble people in society."

SATO responded: "I want that collect you the wisdom of the world and to make all possible efforts so that people may think that they can return to their".

Shimizu, whose company has been accused of minimizing risks and ignoring warnings about the risk of an earthquake and the tsunami striking the plant, as well as react poorly to damage, later will visit a centre for evacuation in the city of Kōriyama to offer apology to those forced to leave their homes.

The Japan, said this week that it will prohibit any person entering an area of 20 km around Fukushima Daiichi evacuation (12 miles).

Prime Minister Kan instructed residents in certain regions outside this area to leave to avoid radiation, Yukio Edano top Japanese Government spokesman said Friday, but it was not clear how many people it will affect.

"We have not the number." We work with local authorities, to the compilation of these data, "said an official with Japan nuclear and industrial safety agency.

(Written by Daniel). Magnowski; (Editing by Sugita Katyal)

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Putin says no plan to crack down on Internet - Reuters

Prime Minister, Vladimir Poutine Russian is for Parliament to the Russian State Duma in Moscow on April 20, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Alexsey Druginyn/RIA Novosti/PoolBy Thomas Grove

MOSCOW | Wed, April 20, 2011 9 pm EDT

Moscow (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Poutine on Wednesday said that he did not intend to crack down on the Internet before the 2012 election, which seeks to play down concerns about the recent attacks by pirates on a site of blogs.

"My personal opinion, it is that I do not think that it is possible to restrict something, said Putin, replying to a question from a legislator after his annual speech to Parliament.

Attacks on the most popular blogs site of the Russia and a warning to Gmail and Skype security service have renewed fears that the authorities want to control the use of the Internet before 2012 polls.

Social networking like Facebook sites played a crucial role in demonstrations and revolts that rocked the Arab world, this year, which prompted some Governments to cut off internet access.

Putin said security services were concerned that Internet could be used against the interests of the country, but added that "it is their concern."

"We do plan slaps down anything," he said, to make a play on words that referred to in the Chekist, a predecessor to the notoriously sévi KGB against dissent in the early days of the Soviet Union.

In a country where much media is State-run, the Internet is one of the last bastions of the freedom of expression.

Russian bloggers criticise freely often scathingly, authorities, information of corruption and the permutation of high level in question.

Security analysts say cyber attacks this month on the service of blogs that Live Journal could be a test to close Web sites more disturbances.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal in February, Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin that Google was responsible for the uprisings that helped bring down the Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak.

(Reported by the Moscow press room; editing by Steve Gutterman and Andrew heavens)

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Syria removes the head of the restive City police - Reuters

Demonstrators holding banners during a protest in the town of Banias, Syrian port on April 19, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/HandoutBy Khaled Yacoub Oweis

AMMAN. Wed, April 20, 2011 9: 00 am EDT

AMMAN (AFP) - the Chief of police in the Syrian city of Banias, was removed from the security, a rights group said Wednesday, after five civilians were killed in a campaign of repression against pro-democracy protests there last week.

The Syrian Observatory of human rights, citing sources in Damascus, the name of the agent as Amjad Abbas. The security forces had sealed off the city weekend after protests against President Bashar al-Assad and an attack by irregular forces loyal to El-Assad on the people who keep a Sunni mosque.

Inspired by uprisings across the Arab world, demonstrators took the streets more than a month demanding more freedoms, undaunted by a security crackdown.

Rights groups, who say more than 200 have been killed since the unrest began a month ago, have called for independent investigations into the actions of the security forces.

The last approach seemed another attempt to appease protesters, who has rejected appeals by the authorities to stop the demonstration and ignored a concession by the Government which approved legislation Tuesday to end the State of emergency in force for 48 years.

Abbas had been identified by the Banias residents said Observatory, the officer fired, as one of the security officers seen beating a villager in the town nearby Baida, according to a video.

With the Bill on the right of emergency, the newly appointed cabinet also approved legislation requires that the Syrians to obtain the permission of the State until they demonstrate.

DEFIANT PROTESTS

Hours earlier, the Ministry of the Interior asked citizens to refrain from protest to all the. Activists said the statement by the Ministry and the fact that the authorities Tuesday night arrested a figure of the left-wing opposition suggest move of the Government to lift the emergency law stop not repression.

The Defiant protests continued overnight, including in the suburbs of Damascus in Zabadane where demonstrators called "the fall of the regime" and for freedom, the rallying cry revolts in Tunisia and Egypt.

There are also sit-in in Jabla on the coast, women Barzeh Damascus rally and candlelight procession in such near the capital of the day to the next.

Homs, soldiers and irregular forces loyal to Assad dressed in black patrolled the road between two central squares, witnesses said. Shops is remained closed to protest more than 20 demonstrators was shot dead by security forces in the city since Monday, they said.

In the second city of the Syria, Aleppo, irregular forces Assad dispersed a small demonstration at the University of the city, beating several students and arresting 37, said rights activist.

The State Department, said the new law, apply for permits to hold demonstrations do not clear if the end of the State of emergency would be a less restrictive government.

A semi-official newspaper quoted an official source saying that assad would issue orders confirming the decisions of the Government, which also include the dissolution of the Supreme Court of the State of security, on Wednesday.

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Agreement to try to calm the restive Syrian City - Reuters

Women demonstrate, on the coastal road Baida, April 13, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/HandoutBy Khaled Yacoub Oweis

AMMAN. Thu April 14, 2011 6 pm EDT

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian authorities sought to defuse tensions in Banias in agreeing to withdraw from the secret police feared the restive coastal town, replacing them with army patrols and to release imprisoned pro-democracy demonstrators.

Syrian forces walled Banias and surround the reservoir after a protest against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, 45, in the City Friday, during which demonstrators shouted "people want the overthrow of the regime."

The demonstration, echoing the cries of rallying of the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, was part of a wave of unrest that have swept through the Syria in which a rights group said 200 people died. Students walk on Wednesday in the second city of Aleppo the Syria.

Loyalists irregular to El-Assad, called "al-shabbiha", has killed four people at Banias on Sunday, a rights activist said, raising tensions in the predominantly Sunni Muslim nation governed by minority Alawi, acceding to an offshoot of Islam Shi'ite.

"Banias residents arrested in recent weeks are already filed," said the Syrian human rights observatory. "The army will go but there is also a pledge out of the secret police... and improve living conditions."

In the United States, France, Britain and other nations have urged Assad to refrain from violence in dealing with protests.

The Syria problems came to a head after police arrested more than a dozen children in the town of Deraa to graffiti inspired by pro-democracy demonstrations throughout the Arab world.

These events would have been unthinkable a few months ago this more closely controlled the Arab countries, where the Baath party has been in power for nearly 50 years. Modern Syria has obtained its independence from the France in 1946.

AHEAD OF THE FRIDAY PRAYER

Television Al Jazeera reported that the Syrian army had said Banias residents could enter the city, but he promised that no there is none of the attacks by the military.

The deal, struck in Damascus between an official of the Baath party and the imams and the personalities of Banias, was intended to help calm the city, is home to one of oil refineries two of the Syria, before the Friday prayer which have been a flash point.

Friday prayers have been mounting protests against the rule of iron of the Ba'ath party, which began in the city of the South of Deraa almost a month ago. The protests have spread to the suburbs of Damascus, North-East, the Mediterranean coast and other areas.

The Baath party has banned opposition and respect the laws of emergency since 1963. The wave of disorders presented Assad with the biggest challenge to his rule since he succeeded his father Hafez Al-Assad, who ruled for 30 years until his death in 2000.

Assad responded to demonstrations with a mixture of deadly force - security forces killed unarmed demonstrators, according to witnesses - and vague promises of reform have failed to dampen protests.

The Damascus Declaration, the basic rights of the Syria group, said that the balance of these events reached 200.

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China always interested to invest in Spain-source - Reuters

* Wealth China funds nie examines the investment of $9 bln

* Source in Madrid, said report was "communication error".

* Bank of the reports of the Spain on banks for financing plans Thursday

* Bank of Spain lower ECB debt in 3 years

(A recast, adds comment, details)

By Paul Day

(MADRID, April 14, Reuters) - China is interested in investing in the banks of the Spain savings, a Spanish source insisted on Thursday, brushing off a denial of Beijing News expected on how markets sick lenders plan to plug financing gaps.

All beginning, China Investment Corp., sovereign investment fund of the country, said Thursday that he did not contemplate an investment of $ 9 billion, after an another Spanish source said China may inject a total of $ 13 billion in the sector of the difficulty. [ID: nL3E7FE0CP]

"It was a communication error." There is a willingness to invest in the credit unions of the Spanish debt... but clearly, we cannot give specific amounts or name particular fund, the second source - as the first, the Government - said.

"Reports are without foundation and do not conform to the truth," an officer CIC, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters earlier in Beijing.

The Spain is under intense scrutiny by the international debt markets concerned fourth largest economy in the euro area will follow the Greece, the Ireland and Portugal in seeking a bailout supported by the European Union and the IMF.

Demand of investors premium hold that Spanish on German debt has fallen since the Portugal announced that he would need to ask for help, although rose again to about 190 basis points Thursday, up to about 9 basis points on the day.

A trader said that the increase is due to a recent rebound of the outperformance and not a sign more in addition to risk of contagion among peripheral economies. [ID: nLDE73D0IB]

It is unclear what terms could make a considerable investment risk in Spanish banks attractive in China. CIC has invested prudently in foreign financial markets in the past two years, partly to avoid any criticism is wasted reserves.

But an economist, said that the refusal of CIC was more likely to reflect a diplomatic gaffe that an overhaul of the policy.

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Yemen opposition spurns talks, defines Saleh deadline - Reuters

Demonstrators carrying posters of revolutionary leader Che Guevara (L) and the late President of the Northern Ibrahim al-Hamdi Yemen during a demonstration demanding the eviction of President Ali Abdullah Saleh of the Yemen in the South of Taiz city on April 13, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Khaled Abdullah

SANAA. Thu April 14, 2011 6: 11 am EDT

SANAA (Reuters) - the Yemen opposition has rejected an offer Thursday to join the talks mediated by the Gulf in Saudi Arabia on a transfer of power and set a deadline of two weeks for President Ali Abdullah Saleh to resign.

Gulf Arab Foreign Ministers had said that they would invite Saleh, who has faced two months of demonstrations demanding his resignation and his opponents talks mediation on a transfer of power. However, the opposition a fight on the offer.

"We renewed our focus on the need to accelerate the process of quality (Saleh) down for two weeks.". "So we go to Riyadh," said Mohammed al-Mutawakkil, a prominent opposition leader.

Allies Saudi Arabia and West of the Yemen fear a deadlock in the State of the Arabian Peninsula could ignite clashes between rival military units in the capital and elsewhere and cause chaos that would benefit from a wing based at the al-Qaeda Yemen active.

Opposition of the Yemen first rejected a statement by the Council of the Gulf cooperation framework for the discussions, had been to be held in Riyadh, because it seemed to offer Saleh a waiver of prosecution in the future and has not asked for an immediate transfer.

Later, they met the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia and the Kuwait, Oman Tuesday seeking clarification of the understanding of the "transfer of power," GCC that does not specify a time for Saleh to resign.

Some opposition leaders had suggested that the talks could begin as early as Saturday, before said Mutawakkil clarifications offered by the ambassadors of the Gulf had been insufficient.

"We did not find in the clarification that the ambassadors presented everything which responds to our requests for immediate removal," said Mutawakkil. "There was nothing new by the ambassadors of the Gulf Cooperation Council."

Saleh agreed to the framework of the talks, even if another player key, General Ali Mohsen, a relative of Saleh, whose units are protecting the demonstrators in Sanaa, have accepted the plan of the CCG.

Technically, a transfer of power to the Yemen could last until the next presidential election scheduled for 2013, a perspective the opposition considers unacceptable.

Saleh has offered for new parliamentary and presidential elections this year in political reforms, but said that he should stay in power to oversee the change or to submit to what he calls the "safe hands".

(Reported by Mohammed Ghobari.) Written by Cynthia Johnston. (editing by Andrew Dobbie)

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Nuclear fears keep shippers are wary of a trip to the Japan - Reuters

Foreign crews are reluctant to go to Tokyo Bay

* Shippers being obliged to use ships to the Japan

* Japan exec urges countries not steps to respond to the crisis

Randy Fabi and Harry Suhartono

(Singapore, April 13, Reuters) - foreign crew members remain reluctant to travel nearly quake-crippled nuclear power Japan, including some ports outside the exclusion zone, forcing shippers to use rather Japanese vessels to transport goods, executives of the industrysaid.

The shipping companies have been providing members of the crew travelling in the area of Tokyo Bay, located 240 km (150 miles) of the damaged nuclear complex the Fukushima, with special anti-radar costumes, Geiger counters and medicine.

This was despite daily insurance of the Department of transportation of the Japan that radiation levels in the region, which included major container ports, Tokyo and Yokohama, and the oil port of Chiba were at a level "very safe".

"The crews do not want to go there." Same Chiba, crews are not yet determined to go, "Kyuho Whang, CEO of SK Shipping South Korea, said to journalists at a Conference of the Singapore industry.

"If they rely more on Japanese ships that foreign ships."

Whang did not say which companies were forced to use Japanese ships.

NOT YET VERY WIDESPREAD

The use of vessels flying the Japanese flag was not yet very widespread, but a senior executive, who wished not to be named, it could become commonplace if more in more foreign, said shipping crews decided against travelling to the region.

"We had ships going to the Japan since the tsunami," said Morten Arntzen, President of the overseas Shipholding Group U.S. appearing on the list.

"The captain of the ship has full authority to say that we will not y and that authority will not second guessed.".

Japan limited marine traffic 30 km of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, 80 km while many shipping companies have imposed a minimum exclusion zone.

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Japan fails to stop radioactive discharges in ocean - Reuters

Anti-nuclear demonstrators shout slogans during a demonstration across from the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) headquarters in Tokyo on April 10, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Issei KatoBy Chisa Fujioka and Shinichi Saoshiro

TOKYO. Sun, April 10, 2011 10: 13 EDT

TOKYO (Reuters) - the Japan to extend the zone to evacuate its plant plans nuclear crippled because of high radiation levels, media and reported Monday, with the engineers do closer to regain control of six reactors hit by a giant tsunamia month ago.

Concerned about the inability of Japan contain its nuclear crisis, caused by a March 11 earthquake and the tsunami, is mounting with the Party of Prime Minister Naoto Kan suffered embarrassing local election losses on Sunday and China's neighbors and the Korea of the South expressing criticism.

Engineers at the plant of Fukushima Daiichi damaged North of Tokyo said Sunday that they were not closer to restore the system of cooling of the plant which is critical if overheated fuel bars must be cooled and placed six reactors under control.

They hope to stop the pumping of radioactive water into the ocean Monday, days later than scheduled.

Four weeks after the worst nuclear crisis since a quarter of a Chernobyl of the last century, the Government was moving to expand an area of evacuation of 20 kilometres (12 miles) due to high doses of radiation, the Asahi newspaper reported.

So far, the Government has refused to expand the area, despite being requested by the international agency of Atomic Energy (IAEA) and countries such as the United States and the Australia advising its citizens to stay 80 kms from the plant.

The Asahi said the Government could expand the area of 30 km in some areas, according to the direction of the wind and residents would be given a week to prepare for evacuation.

The Japan Times said authorities would soon close by force the 20 km zone, prevent people to return to their shattered homes search through the rubble of their property.

Governor of Fukushima Yuhei Sato has criticized the policy of evacuation, saying residents within a radius of 20 - 30 km were initially told to stay indoors and then advised to evacuate voluntarily.

"The residents within the radius of 20 to 30 km were really confused on what to do." SATO told NHK television Sunday.

Media reports said that Sato refuses to meet with the President of Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) he visited the area Monday.

It is the worst crisis of the Japan since the second world war after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and a huge tsunami battered its northeast coast, leaving nearly 28,000 dead or missing and the third world economy toggle.

BENEFITS POLICIES

Japanese voters Sunday vented their anger at the handling of the Government of the nuclear and humanitarian crisis with Kan in the Democratic Party of the Japan power, losing about 70 seats in local elections.

The unpopular Kan was already under pressure to resign before March 11, but analysts say it is unlikely to be expelled in the crisis, set for months.

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The Japan reactor operator apologises for radiation - Reuters

* TEPCO apologizes to the Japan, neighbours to radiation

* For pumping of radioactive water at sea at the end Sunday

* PM Kan to visit the tsunami zone

* Japan hopes banned agricultural imports from China will remain "reasonable".

By Kiyoshi Takenaka and Chisa Fujioka

(TOKYO, April 10, Reuters) - Japanese power company Executive has apologised for the dissemination of radiation in the air and sea as regulators said the pumping of radioactive water in the waters off the coast of the Japan of a nuclear power plant crippled would end Sunday, one day later than scheduled.

The apology of Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) (9501.T) came a day after China and the Korea of the South is concerned about discharge of contaminated water from the plant of Fukushima Daiichi broken by the earthquake of last monthreflecting the growing international unease over the nuclear crisis of long months.

"I would like to apologize for my heart on the worries and disorders we are causing to society due the release of radiological materials in water of sea and the atmosphere," Sakae Muto, TEPCO vice President, said Saturday.

"We worry and trouble for having taken this decision without taking enough time to explain the case prior to the persons concerned, to the press, the fishing industry and people abroad, and we are sorry to do this""," he added.

In Jakarta, Foreign Affairs Minister Takeaki Matsumoto explained political crisis of Japan with counterparts from the 10 ASEAN countries Saturday and his spokesperson urged the neighbours of the Japan only way to exaggerate the low levels of radiation.

"We are quite sorry on the fact that nuclear power plants are causes these concerns, concerns around the world, but you have to check the level of radioactivity the IAEA spoke,", said spokesman Satoru Sato.

Hidehiko Nishiyama, an Assistant Director-General of the Japan nuclear and industrial safety agency, told reporters Saturday: "we are working on the release of water... we are likely to complete this tomorrow."

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Gbagbo Minister says in talks on Ivory Coast cease-fire - Reuters

DAKAR. Tue, April 5, 2011 8: 00 am EDT

"I am at the residence of the Ambassador of France to negotiate a ceasefire, Alcide Djédjé said in an interview broadcast on Radio France International.

Asked if Gbagbo negotiated his departure, he said: "it is another step that I am not responsible for." We have to wait for the next few hours on it. I had a mandate to negotiate this step (a ceasefire). Now we wait. ?

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